TORONTO – U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders addressed a vibrant speech last Sunday on the Canadian public health care system to an enthusiastic and energized crowd at the University of Toronto.
Senator Sanders was visiting Canada last week to get ideas from experts, politicians and medical workers on the Canadian universal health care system. He introduced a Bill in Congress to bring a government funded health system to his home country.
Sanders put the emphasis on the fact that access to quality and universal health care is a human right and denying that right is a fundamental flaw in the U.S.
His Bill intends to address a huge gap in terms of access to the health care system. “Right now in the United States of America, we have 28 million citizens who have no healthcare whatsoever,” said Sanders, adding that because of costs associated reasons, a lot of people cannot simply afford to go see a doctor, a dentist or get the medication they need.
He praised the Canadian health care and shared with the audience that he makes a point to counter misinformation and misconceptions on the Canadian health care system spread by Republican Senators on a regular basis.
He also gave us a little piece of advice: “I know that Canadians are well known through the world as friends and kind people. Be a little bit louder,” Sanders said.
Despite the fact that we have universal health care is Canada, our public health system could be improved. Canadians have access to health care, but it does not include dental, eye care or drug coverage.
The next battle for working families on the health front is Pharmacare – #pharmacareforall – which would extend drug coverage to every Canadian.
